When a loved one dies, one of the first questions families ask us is simply how soon the funeral will take place. It is a natural thing to want to know, because there are relatives to inform, leave to arrange and travel to plan. In Singapore the answer is usually sooner than people expect, though the exact timing depends on a few things that are worth understanding.
Most funerals here are held within about a week of the passing. The days in between are given to the wake, where family and friends gather to pay respects. Below we explain the usual timeline, what shapes it, how it differs across faiths and when a funeral can be brought forward or held back. Throughout, please remember that a funeral director handles all of this scheduling for you.
As a general guide, a funeral in Singapore is held within roughly five to seven days of the death, and often sooner. The wake itself commonly runs for three, five or seven days, and the number of days is a family choice rather than a fixed rule.
Families tend to favour an odd number of days for cultural reasons, and the length is usually set to give relatives enough time to travel and to allow proper rites to be observed. If you would like a fuller picture of the whole process, our guide on how to arrange a funeral in Singapore walks through each stage.
Several factors come together to fix the date of a funeral. None of them are complicated once explained, and your funeral director will guide every decision.
Different faiths observe different rites, and some call for longer periods of prayer or chanting. The family also decides how many days feel right for relatives to gather and grieve.
Many families, particularly Buddhist and Taoist ones, ask a monk, priest or temple to help choose an auspicious date and time for the encoffining and the cremation or burial. This can gently move the funeral a day earlier or later.
Embalming allows the body to be kept and viewed with dignity over the days of the wake. It is what makes a wake of several days possible and comfortable for visitors.
The funeral date is confirmed once a slot is booked, most often for cremation at Mandai. Slots are usually available within the normal timeline, and we secure a suitable time on your behalf.
If close family are flying in from abroad, the wake may be set a little longer so that everyone can be present before the final day.
While every family is different, a five day wake often follows a rhythm something like this.
A three day wake compresses this, while a seven day wake gives more time for prayers and for relatives to arrive.
These wakes are often the longer ones, commonly five or seven days, to allow for chanting and prayer rites led by monks or priests. The date is frequently chosen with guidance from a temple. You can read more about Buddhist funeral services and Taoist funeral services on our site.
These services are coordinated with the church and the availability of the pastor or priest. Wakes tend to be a little shorter, often three days, ending with a service before the cremation or burial. See our Christian funeral services for details.
Soka funerals follow their own gongyo and prayer format and are usually held over a few days. Free thinker families, who follow no particular religion, have the most flexibility of all and can keep the wake as short or as long as feels right.
The quickest option is a direct cremation, where there is no wake and the body proceeds to Mandai after the necessary preparation and paperwork. This can often be completed within a day or two. Our direct funeral services suit families who prefer something simple and private.
Yes, within reason. A funeral can be brought forward if the family prefers a shorter wake, or held slightly longer to wait for relatives or to fall on a chosen date. The main limits are the availability of a cremation slot and the practicalities of keeping the body properly. In our experience there is usually enough flexibility to honour a family’s wishes, and we will always tell you honestly what is possible.
The timeline is longer when someone passes away overseas and needs to be brought home, or when a person who died in Singapore is to be sent abroad. This is because of the documents, permits, embalming certificates and flight arrangements required, which can take a number of days to complete. Our funeral repatriation team manages the paperwork and logistics so the family is not left navigating it alone.
The most reassuring thing to remember is that you do not have to work any of this out yourself. From collecting your loved one to booking the slot at Mandai, arranging the rites and setting a date that suits your family, a funeral director carries the scheduling and the coordination. Your role is simply to be present with your family.
In most cases within about a week, and often sooner. The wake commonly runs for three, five or seven days before the cremation or burial.
A direct cremation with no wake is the quickest, often completed within a day or two once the preparation and paperwork are done.
Yes. The wake can be set a little longer so that close relatives can arrive and be present before the final day.
Sending a loved one abroad or bringing them home involves permits, certificates and flight bookings, which add several days to the timeline.
If you have just lost someone, or you simply want to understand your options ahead of time, please call or WhatsApp Ang Brothers on 9871 8388. We are here at any hour, the advice is obligation free, and we will gently guide you through every step. You are always welcome to reach our team.
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